WNY experts offer New Year's resolutions advice

Dr. Lisa Yerke, clinical assistant professor, Department of
Periodontics and Endodontics, UB School of Dental Medicine and a member
of University Dental Associates

Resolution: Better oral care

We may not realize how important a daily ritual of oral hygiene is to
our overall systemic health and well-being. Many of us floss to prevent
tooth decay between our teeth. However, we also floss to prevent
periodontal disease, which is the loss of the jaw bone and gums that
support and stabilize our teeth. Many of those with periodontitis are
not aware that they have it, since pain and tooth loss may not be
obvious signs until the disease is very advanced, which can take years
to decades. The bacteria-driven destruction of bone and supporting tooth
structures that occur in periodontal disease creates a significant
amount of bacterial byproducts and inflammatory factors that are
released into the circulatory system and travel throughout the body,
negatively impacting our overall well-being. For example, diabetics with
periodontitis have greater difficulty maintaining glycemic control. To
make matters worse, periodontal disease has also been associated with
heart disease, obesity, asthma, esophageal and gastric cancer, prostate
cancer, allergies, rheumatoid arthritis, and stress, among others. Our
overall health, so closely tied with our oral health, requires a
conscious daily effort.